Top Tips For Making Your Car Last Longer
Posted by admin at 24 April 2020, at 08 : 30 AM
When you buy and run a car you want to make sure you are getting the most out of your money, this often means making sure it lives a long life and runs well throughout the time that you own it. Many of the things you can do may seem like common sense, however, they will help you make your car more efficient, nicer to drive, and last much longer.
Let’s have a look at some of the top tips for making your car last longer:
Change Your Filters
It’s important to make sure you change your oil and air filters every now and again. The filters in your car become clogged over time and it can be damaging if leftover time. Ideally, you should have them changed as part of your yearly service, but changing either of them is a fairly simple task to complete yourself. Especially an air filter swap. It could lead to you saving money on your service costs. If you’re strapped for cash, sometimes washing your air filter can prolong the life of it too. Always make sure you look up any advice in your handbook about the cleaning and maintaining of your filters.
Try To Drive Smoothly
You should always try to drive with caution, this makes sure that you are using your car how it should be used and keeping it working to its full potential. Regardless of whether the engine is warm or not, you should drive with care each and every time you drive your car. Driving your car sensibly can help to reduce the wear and tear on areas such as the gearbox, pedals, and steering wheel. That being said, you need to rev your engine fully once in a while, carbon deposits can build up and damage the valves and other parts of your car. This can reduce the efficiency and potentially cause a misfire. Usually, a longer journey once in a while can help to reduce the build-up.
Don’t Scrimp On Parts
When it comes to maintaining your car, it can sometimes be expensive. However, you need to make sure you don’t scrimp too much when it comes to the parts you put in your car. Why would you want to put your car in jeopardy with less-quality parts just to save a few pounds? Choosing things like long lasting brake rotors and original parts will do better for your car and save you money in the long-run.
Use Your Air Conditioning
If you don’t want to risk losing your air conditioning, you need to make sure you are using it. Air-con systems naturally leak refrigerant gas over time, more so if they aren’t used regularly. Leaving your air-con off might save you fuel, but you could end up with an even bigger bill for re-gassing instead. This also means that you should be putting it on once as a whole through the winter too.
Change Your Spark Plugs and Leads
Drivers are becoming less and less inclined to do their own services on their cars. This is understandable considering how complex they are becoming. Replacing your spark plugs and high-tension leads can be extremely simple to complete yourself. It will help to optimize your engine’s performance. You do need to make sure you consult your vehicle handbook before you do it though.
Keep Your Fluids Topped Up
Fluids are the blood of your car, failing to replenish them could lead to dire consequences. You should be checking your engine oil once a fortnight, open your bonnet, remove the dipstick and check the overall level, if it needs topping up, do so with quality oil. It’s always a good idea to check your oil level before a long journey too. As well as your oil levels you should also be checking the levels of your coolant reservoir and windscreen washer. Try to avoid using washing up liquid as this can damage the paintwork.
Always Check Your Tyres
Your tires are perhaps one of the most important safety features in your car. This means there is no exaggeration to say that it is crucial for you to check them regularly. Aim for once a week or every two weeks at a minimum. Not only could it save your life to be safe but it can also save you money. If you are able to identify any problems earlier rather than later you are much less likely to experience blowouts because of unhealthy tires or slipping on the ice because you haven’t got enough tread.
These top tips should help you to make your car last longer.